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By Cindy Ziervogel
The bassoon is Allie Ogletree’s instrument of choice and one that is getting the 16-year-old noticed in the music world.
Allie is Principal Bassoonist for the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra. Music
director Héctor Agüero Jr. said that while they’ve had other young musicians in the all-volunteer, community orchestra of 60
members, to be the principal or lead is both unusual and impressive. He called
Allie wise beyond her years.
Emily Stevens, band director at Kempner High School, described Allie, a junior,
as extremely talented with a definite future in music.
Her peers respect her, too. Students in the Kempner High School orchestra voted
her Outstanding Woodwind performer.
But Allie is not one to rest on her musical laurels. Marielle and Jim, Allie’s mom and dad, say Allie is very hard on herself. The word perfectionist quickly comes to mind when they sum up their talented daughter.
Allie agrees. She realizes she has a tendency
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to micro-examine and critique all of her performances.
“When I’m done playing, I always look at the things to fix,” she said. “It’s an on-going process.”
When Allie was first presented with a bassoon in the sixth grade, a large
double-reed, woodwind instrument with a low sound, she liked it immediately.
Today, she plays the bassoon in Kempner High School’s orchestra and flute in the school’s marching band.
Allie always has music on her mind and her accomplishments shine both in high
school and out. In school, she’s a member of the honor band and was recently named first chair bassoonist in
Region.
Outside of Kempner, Allie is equally respected. She has the admiration and
respect from Agüero who is also director of orchestras at the High School for the Performing and
Visual Arts.
Recently, she joined HSPVA musicians to produce the film score for Marbles with Thoreau, a new short film by director Melody George. Marbles with Thoreau is inspired by Henry David Thoreau’s classic book, Walden. The HSPVA orchestra was offered the job to record the sound track. Agüero needed a bassoonist so he asked Allie to join.
No matter what the talent level, Allie seems to meld to any music environment.
“I respect that she fit right in (to the Fort Bend Symphony) from the get go,” said Agüero. “She came to the first rehearsal prepared, and it didn’t even seem to faze her that she was surrounded by older musicians.
“Allie’s a gifted musician. She also has strong leadership qualities. Her bassoon
playing is impressive for a young person and the best part about it is that it’s flexible enough to facilitate all different kinds of music. If she keeps
practicing and working hard, she will, without a doubt, land a position with a
big professional orchestra some day.”
When Allie found out she snatched the role of principal bassoonist, just hours
after her audition, her reaction was humble at best.
“Are you sure?” were her first words upon hearing the news from her mom who took the call just
a few hours past the audition.
Even in the summer, Allie is perfecting her musical skills. Last summer, she
spent a week
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at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, a competitive music camp in Interlochen,
Mich., that attracts student musicians from 40 different countries. During the
school year, Interlochen is a 1,200-acre 500-student, fine arts boarding
school.
“It was amazing,” said Allie. “Everyone there was good. I liked being around other bassoonists who were just as
enthusiastic as me. I don’t get to see anything like that when I’m at home.”
Allie is clearly devoted to the bassoon. She practices habitually, nearly every
morning, noon and night. She said she loves the feeling she gets when she
starts to play.
“I couldn’t get that feeling with the flute. I prefer the tone of the bassoon much better. And it’s more fun to play. Playing on the reed is an entirely different feeling than that of any other instrument. I like everything about the bassoon better than other instruments. It has a unique tone that sets it apart from the rest.”
Allie is seldom without her instrument. She even prefers to practice during
lunch instead of eat. She said when she plays the bassoon she simply stops
keeping track of time until lunch is over.
And after school, it’s more music.
“I go home from school and end up getting on the computer and listening to
various types of pieces involving the bassoon.”
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